Need for Expanded Federal Child-Care Services Is Great, Panel Told

Washington--Funds for the federal social-services block grant should
be increased and tax credits for child care should be amended to
benefit low-income families, a number of education, health, religious,
and business leaders recommended before the Select Committee on
Children, Youth, and Families in the Congress earlier this month.

In addition, Gov. Thomas H. Kean of New Jersey and representatives
from teachers' unions and child-welfare organizations suggested a
variety of methods by which the federal government could improve the
quality of child-care programs, including tax credits for corporations
that set up day-care programs and aid to school districts that
establish before- and after-school programs for latchkey children.

Representative George Miller, Democrat of California and chairman of
the committee, called the hearings "the most in-depth Congressional
look at child care in a decade."

"With this initiative, Congress is beginning to show the same
concern for the kind of child care received by millions of American
children as it has for their health and education," he said. "Surely we
can play a positive role in this area, as we have in the others."

Cuts in Services

Representatives of the American Federation of Teachers and the
National Education Association assailed the Reagan Administration for
cutting funds for Title XX of the Social Security Act, which serves as
the major source of federal funds for day-care programs that serve
low-income children.

"Title XX has been cut 21 percent," said Loretta Johnson, vice
president of the aft and chairman of its women's rights committee.
"This 21-percent cut has forced other cuts in state child-care systems
across the country."

Because of the cuts, she said, "32 states provided Title XX care for
fewer children in 1983 than in 1981. ... We urge the subcommittee to
build on the Title XX program and expand it. Like Head Start, Title XX
is a program that needs protection from the Reagan Administration's
budget cutters."

Strong Foundation

Warlene Gary, associate director of government relations for the
nea, also criticized the budget cuts.

Calling early-childhood education a strong foundation for a young
person's intellectual, physical, and emotional development during the
school years, she said: "President Reagan, as head of an Administration
that calls itself pro-family, has nonetheless presented no new federal
initiatives for child-care services ... Rather, the Reagan
Administration has done harm to the one program at the federal
level--the Title XX Social Services Program--which has helped literally
millions of families over the years."

Ms. Gary also recommended that the government increase the
$2-billion dependent-care tax credit that is currently used by five
million families, so that lower-income families may benefit from
it.

Expand Programs

Among the other organizations urging expansion of federal child-care
efforts was the National Advocacy Project for Family Day Care of the
Children's Foundation.

Speaking for the Washington, D.C.-based group, Lori Weinstein, its
director, asked that the government increase Title XX with specific
funds earmarked for day care. "Title XX funds not only help defray the
costs of child care for working parents," Ms. Weinstein said, "but also
provide critically needed funds for training child-care providers."

She also requested that the government provide funds to help
increase low-income and rural communities' participation in the Child
Care Food Program, the largest federal program of family day care,
serving some 250,000 children in home day care.

Equitable Policies

Thomas H. Cooke Jr., the mayor of East Orange, N.J., and chairman of
the Human Development Committee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors,
reiterated the appeal for increased funding of the Title XX Social
Services block grant and called for more equitable tax policies
relating to child care.

"While the dependent-care tax credit is an excellent universal
support for child care, it does not significantly improve the
purchasing power of low-income families," Mr.3Cooke said. "Other tax
incentives not necessarily tied to out-of-pocket expenditures could be
more beneficial to lower-income families and should be considered."

Mr. Cooke also called for federal incentives for the establishment
and operation of day-care centers for school-age children in
conjunction with local school districts.

"It is estimated that as many as 5 million to 10 million children
may be left at home in the early morning and return to empty homes
after school," he noted. "Available, affordable before- and
after-school child care could help respond to this serious
problem."

HR 4193, a bill that would provide seed money to communities to set
up and operate child-care centers for school-age children, has passed
in the House of Representatives and the Senate Labor and Human
Resources Committee and is awaiting Senate floor action.

Private-Sector Responsibility

Governor Kean of New Jersey, speaking on behalf of the National
Governors' Association, also called on lawmakers to expand tax credits
and provide increased funds for child care for low-income families.

But he stressed the responsibility of state and local governments
and of the private sector to assist in funding programs. "States should
seek a balance of public and private support for families that require
child care for developmental, protective, special-needs, or
work-related reasons," Governor Kean said.

Calling the demand for day care "pervasive and critical to every
segment of the population," he also called for increased flexibility in
personnel policies to reflect the changing demands on families; an
exploration of alternatives to current day-care programs; and better
use of existing care facilities and programs.

"Meeting the needs of children must be one of our highest national
priorities," Governor Kean said. "No single sector of society can
provide adequate resources for child care,6but through a comprehensive
national policy and the coordinated efforts of government, voluntary
organizations, and the business community, we can begin to expand these
services."

Child Abuse

Addressing one child-care issue that has received increased
attention in recent months, Elinor Guggenheimer, president of the Child
Care Action Campaign, recommended the establishment of volunteer
community panels that would serve as "the eyes and ears of the
community" in handling child-abuse complaints.

"We have always known that child care attracts sadists," said Ms.
Guggenheimer. She also said it should be illegal for child-care centers
to bar parents from visiting at any time.

Joyce Black, public-policy chairman of the Child Welfare League of
America and president of the Day Care Council of New York, called for
the establishment of a national panel to draft model day-care standards
to serve as guidelines for states.

Additional Recommendations

Speakers also suggested:

Enhancing parent-education programs so that parents know what to
look for in day-care centers.

Establishing all-day kindergartens to care for young children from 8
A.M. to 6 P.M. on a year-round basis.

Setting up a systematic method of licensing and regulating day-care
centers so that children's safety and security are ensured.

Establishing an office within the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services to serve as a source of information on day-care planning
and programming.

Establishing a federal source of funds for training and providing
technical assistance to child-care workers.

Holding a national day-care conference so that education, health,
and legislative officials could exchange information on common
concerns.

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